German Chancellor Angela Merkel announces run for fourth term

          

One of the world's most powerful leaders has announced her decision to run for office again.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel put an end to months of speculation about her political future by saying she would seek a fourth term in next year's federal elections.

"I pondered a lot about it," Merkel told reporters at a news conference in Berlin. "The decision for a fourth term after 11 years is anything ... (but) trivial, not for the country and not for the party, and I say it consciously also for me personally."

Merkel, 62, said she expects the fall 2017 campaign to be her toughest to date.

"The coming election will be difficult," Merkel said. "We will probably be criticized from everywhere, from the right-wing parties and also because of the polarization of our society, also from the left party."

Merkel alerted top members of her Christian Democrat Union party, or CDU, about her decision to run a few days ago.

Another stint for Merkel would be significant because a large part of the German electorate is looking for stability in uncertain times after the Brexit vote in Britain, the election of Donald Trump in the United States and the rise of populist movements in several European countries.

"There is a lot of tension within the European Union given the Euro crisis, the question of refugees and the decision of Great Britain to exit from the European Union," Merkel acknowledged at the news conference. "The situation in the world is as such that it needs to sort itself out again with regard also to the United States and Russia."

           

Merkel has angered many voters with her decision to open Germany's borders to migrants, mostly from war zones in the Middle East. In September, her party suffered a significant defeat in local elections. The Chancellor has admitted she has made mistakes with the controversial refugee policy.